Pygmy Slow Loris

Pygmy slow lorises mainly eat tree gum, sap, nectar, and insects. Their lower teeth are specially adapted to help them gouge into the bark of trees, making it easier for sap to flow out. They also eat fruit and sometimes even small animals.

At the Zoo, the lorises are offered fruits, vegetables, insects, and mice.

Pygmy slow lorises are found in Vietnam, Laos, and eastern Cambodia, as well as in parts of southern China.

The species is found in rainforests, bamboo groves, and evergreen forests. They like to stay high up in the trees, usually between 10 and 40 feet off the ground.

Not much is known about the predators of slow lorises. Some possible predators are snakes and hawk-eagles.

In the 20th century, war and conflict damaged much of their habitat, causing loss in their numbers and fragmentation of populations. Even though military action in its range has stopped, they are still at risk of losing their habitats because of logging and farming practices. Slow lorises are also heavily hunted for traditional medicine and to sell them as pets illegally.

Pygmy slow lorises are small primates with reddish-brown fur that is thick and dense. They have lighter fur on their faces and bellies. In the winter, their fur becomes lighter and develops silver tips, helping them blend into the forest when many trees lose their leaves. They have large yellow eyes with dark patches around them, which help them see well at night. Their eyes are designed for hunting in low light, giving them great depth perception. They also have a special layer behind their retina that improves their night vision. Bright lights can be very confusing and stressful for them.

These animals have round heads, small ears, a short tail, and short but strong arms and legs. Their hands and feet have opposable thumbs, which help them climb-- slowly. The second finger is shorter than the thumb, allowing them to grip branches very tightly. Their strong hands and feet have well-developed pads that help them hold on. They can even hang from branches for hours without moving. This ability is thanks to special blood vessels in their limbs that prevent them from feeling numb from staying in one position too long.

Pygmy slow lorises have unique front teeth arranged to form a structure called a "tooth comb." This helps them clean their fur and scrape resin from tree bark. They also have a grooming claw on their second toe to reach spots that the tooth comb can not.

Pygmy slow lorises are the only known venomous primate. They have modified sweat glands near their elbows that allow them to produce a toxin. When they feel threatened, they can lick these glands to spread the toxin to their teeth. The venom is not quick to take effect, so these animals do not use it to fight off predators. Instead, they use it during fights with each other over territory. They also put the venom on their bodies to keep parasites away and to signal to predators that they should stay clear.

The breeding season for pygmy slow lorises is between July and September. one male usually has a territory that overlaps with several females, and he mates with them all. Female lorises make a series of whistles to communicate with males during the mating season. The males can tell when a female is ready to mate by sniffing her urine marks on branches.

After about six months of pregnancy, a female loris gives birth to one or two babies every 12 to 18 months. The baby clings to its mother’s belly for the first few days. Once the baby gets big enough, the mother hides it in thick plants while she goes off to find food. Eventually, the young loris learns to follow its mother around as she eats. Mothers nurse their babies for around four and a half months. As the babies grow, they stay with their mothers for several more months until they can live on their own.

Pygmy slow lorises communicate in two ways: by making sounds and using their sense of smell. They create a melodic note when contacting each other. When they are scared or upset, they might growl or hiss. During the breeding season, males and females whistle to each other. Young lorises will make a series of clicks and squeaks to call their mothers if they need help.

Male slow lorises also use their urine to mark their territory and to let females know they would be good mates. Males can tell when a female is ready to mate by sniffing her urine marks on branches.

People call them "slow" lorises because they are usually slow-moving. However, some studies show that they might actually move faster than other types of slow lorises.

Pygmy slow lorises are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. They mostly live in trees, only coming down when they are threatened or in distress.In warmer months, pygmy slow lorises tend to be on the move a lot during the night. But during cold winter months, they can go into a state called torpor. This means they slow down, lower their body temperature, and use their fat stores for energy without searching for food.

Since pygmy slow lorises have not been studied much in their native range, we still do not know a lot about how they behave.